


The Enemy Of My Enemy Is...Something

by afteriwake



Series: Molly Madness Month - March 2018 [14]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Awesome Molly Hooper, Awkward Conversations, BAMF Sebastian Moran, Bargaining, Bitter Sebastian, Blow Jobs, Breakfast in Bed, Changing Opinions, Childhood Memories, Comfort/Angst, Confused Molly Hooper, Conversations, Cooking, Decisions, Decisive Molly Hooper, Deepthroating, Early Mornings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode AU: s04e03 The Final Problem, F/M, First Kiss, First Meetings, Food, Getting to Know Each Other, Hand Jobs, Happy Ending, Hugs, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Intrigued Molly, Irish Sebastian Moran, Jealous Sebastian, Just the two of us, Late Night Conversations, Light Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, Mentioned Eurus Holmes, Molly is in Danger, Mycroft Being Mycroft, Naked Cuddling, Naked Female Clothed Male, Northern Irish Troubles, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oral Sex, POV Molly Hooper, Past Sebastian Moran/James Moriarty, Poor Molly, Rain, Returning Home, Sebastian Is A Bit Not Good, Sebastian Moran Cooks, Sebastian Moran Hates Himself, Sebastian Moran Keeps A Promise, Sebastian Moran needs a hug, Sebastian Moran's Past, Sharing a Bed, Sherlock Holmes & Molly Hooper Friendship, Sleeping In, Sunrises, Teasing, Undressing, Vaginal Fingering, Woman on Top, for your safety, past Molly Hooper/Jim Moriarty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-31 15:11:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13977753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: One minute she's at Barts, going about her day, and then Sebastian Moran, Jim's "best mate" as far as she knew, comes barging into her morgue, telling her she's in danger. Now she's in a hotel room in Ireland with a man she's not entirely sure she can trust...but as time goes on, she desperately wants to.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stbartsmolly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stbartsmolly/gifts), [Dreamin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/gifts).



> So this is based on a prompt originally claimed by **stbartsmolly** (“ _that fake dating/forced bed sharing 'we’re both adults we can be professional about this' moment_ ”) that I decided to write as a gift for my number one Moran/Molly supporter, **Dreamin**. I hope you both enjoy!

She had no idea why she was letting him do this. Jim was dead; she’d done the autopsy herself, after all, and this time it’s wasn’t a lookalike. It was the same man she’d...well, had a dalliance with. That’s all it was. He’d used her to get close to Sherlock in a series of emails and three solitary dates.

 _And one night in bed,_ she thought to herself as her eyes drifted on the sole bed in the hotel room and then to the man she was sharing it with.

She hadn’t thought James Moriarty cared about her, not in the least, but then Seb had come to Barts and said she had to leave _rightnowlet’sgo **rightnow**_ and she hadn’t even had time to grab her handbag, he was pulling her out and away from the basement lift towards the emergency stairs and it was all so _fast_ and here they were now, hours later, in a dingy hotel room somewhere in Ireland and she had no idea what the bloody hell was going on.

But she knew it had to be important. Sebastian Moran had been the man in stories Jim told, his best mate, but knowing Jim was also Richard Brooks and had been a good enough actor to fool a reporter and any number of other people, she took all his stories of Seb with a grain of salt. But the picture he had sent her matched the man in front of her, and the way he had moved, the way he had spoken, she knew he may not be the man from Jim’s stories, but he would keep her safe.

Safe from what, though...she still didn’t know.

Sebastian sat on the bed, cleaning his gun and after a moment she sat on the other side. “An explanation would be nice, you know.”

“You were in danger,” he said, not looking up from the gun.

“What kind of danger?” she asked, her voice curious.

“Holmes’s sister,” he replied.

Her eyes widened. “Sherlock only has a brother,” she said.

“As far as Sherlock knows,” Sebastian said. “She’s playing a game with Holmes. You’re a potential target. I doubt Jim knew she’d target you when they met that Christmas, but he wouldn’t like it.” He set aside the piece he had cleaned and picked up a small brush to clean the barrel of the gun. “You were the only one of Holmes’s friends that was supposed to be spared if things went to hell. But then Holmes faked the fall from the roof and I made the decision to end it. Jim was...gone, there was no point.”

The way he spoke said there was a connection there, but she didn’t know what. “I see.”

“I think he knew his plans with Eurus could spell trouble, so he said if I heard anything about you being in danger to get you the hell out of trouble’s way,” he said as he began to clean the new part. “It would have been nice if I’d been privy to the plan they cooked up, but it was above my pay grade, I suppose. But there were cameras in your flat. She’s planning something, and I wasn’t about to find out what.”

“I see,” she said, repeating herself. This was a lot of information to process all at once, and she wasn’t sure she _could_ , to be honest. She was worried she’d be in a daze for a time, and right now, that wasn’t best for the situation. “So you’re saving me from whatever she has planned on Jim’s...I mean, Moriarty’s orders?”

“Yes,” he said. “He may have been a criminal mastermind, but he had a small heart. You managed to be someone who touched it. I owe him that much to keep you safe.” He dropped into silence and continued to clean his gun, and she did the same. She trusted Sebastian though she wasn’t sure she really had a reason to, but after the explosion at Baker Street, she wasn’t about to do anything to risk her safety, and if that meant trusting Moriarty’s subordinate for the time being...so be it.


	2. Chapter 2

She went to the dresser to just peek around and saw very familiar clothing. If he knew cameras were at her flat, obviously he had to have been there, and that meant he’d seen her things. She didn’t know if she should be upset or happy he’d packed her a bag, though, and unpacked it before she’d arrived. She then closed the drawer and looked around. It was a rather small room, with old wallpaper and faded carpet that was worn down. She didn’t hold out much hope for the bed being comfortable, but to her surprise, it felt much like her bed at home, and it had a pillowtop mattress. She tested it by sitting on it and then lying down.

“I can take the floor,” he said as he looked up, apparently having finished cleaning the gun.

“No, that’s alright,” she said. “I can manage to share a bed this big with you.” She gestured to the gun. “You’re really worried, aren’t you?”

“I don’t trust Holmes’s sister. She’s psychotic,” he said. “Mycroft must have been out of his mind to give her Jim as a present. Even he seemed just a bit creeped out by her, after.”

“How so?” she asked. The more she had learned about Jim after the fact made her feel surprised at the fact there was something that had made Jim uncomfortable. A person, especially one related to Sherlock, was interesting, at least to her. And the more she could learn about the situation, the better.

“She escaped from the place a few times, came into London and met with Jim,” he said. “I was always booted out of the flat when she was there so I have no idea what they did, but sometimes he would have scratches and cuts on his body afterward. I don’t know if they shagged, but there was something going on.”

Well, that explained the feeling that he and Jim had had a more intimate past. He had doubted Jim would have shown him the injuries in any other way than when they were being intimate, from the impression she had. It was interesting, she thought, that two of his ex-lovers were no hiding out because a potential third one was causing trouble. “Did you ever meet her?”

“Once, for a matter of minutes. That was enough.” He set the gun on the desk in the room and then slouched in the seat. “Jim was crazy. Don’t know if you know that by now, but he was. She was...dead inside, and crazy to boot. That one encounter and I made sure to steer clear of her whenever she came over.” 

Molly sat up more and brought her knees to her chest. “And now she’s after Sherlock and his friends.”

“You’re more to him than a friend,” he scoffed.

“Not really,” she said. Honestly, she loved Sherlock but she had given up hope of anything happening. “It would have been nice, I suppose but there’s nothing going on there. John said he’s texting someone else and there’s a moan ringtone.”

“Adler,” he said quietly.

“Isn’t she dead?” Molly asked, tilting her head. “Sherlock identified her body in my morgue ages ago.

He shook his head. “She faked her death that night, and then ended up in Karachi. Almost died there but was saved by someone who killed the terrorist organization who had her. Always figured it was Holmes. Not really surprising though. She’s got her own ways of sinking her claws into people.”

“You?” she asked curiously.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Jim. Every once in a while he’d like the idea of giving up control and since he never wanted me as anything more than...whatever I was, he went to her.”

“Well, joy. The man I slept with has been with at least three other people, apparently possibly at the same time,” she said sourly. “And I can’t even get a date.”

“He was clean if you were wondering. One thing he was meticulous about was staying healthy, at least until he blew his brains out. He may have swung on both sides of the fence, but he was always careful with his partners.”

She made a mental reminder to get checked for venereal diseases just in case. “Noted.”

Sebastian lapsed into silence for a moment. “He cared about you, in a way he didn’t about the rest of us,” he finally said. “Sex was a tool for him, except for with you. I don’t think he planned on it, but he was...”

“Was what?” she asked.

“Regretful about things, I suppose.” He laced his fingers together across his abdomen. “He wanted me to watch you like a hawk the day at the hospital, but you were in the morgue. Couldn’t get to you. Once he died, though, I left the organization. I’ve been freelancing out of London, trying to keep an eye on you without Mycroft Holmes spotting me.” 

“You didn’t have cameras on me, did you?”

“No, but you leave too many of your curtains open. I could watch you from the house across the street.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re the mysterious James?”

He nodded. “I was hoping you’d never connect me using an alias. Wasn’t sure if Jim had shown you pictures of me. I just made very sure you never saw me. When I got word that the plan was going into play I started getting ready. Knicked some of your clothes and got this place, and I got back just after the bomb exploded. Once I knew you’d made sure of what you could, I got you and got you out.”

She nodded, and then her eyes widened. “Rosie!”

“With her Aunt Harry, I made sure of it. Whatever Eurus wants, the Holmes brothers and Watson are in her grasp. I made a call that she might want to go pick up her niece for a bit and be prepared for Watson to stay with her for a while, possibly.”

“Do you mean Rosie or John?” she asked.

“Hopefully both but...”

“But she’s got a plan and he might not survive,” she said quietly.

“Yeah.” He nodded to the bed. “We should get some rest. it’s been a long day and we only have a few hours to rest up before we move to the final location. I’m planning on keeping my promise to Jim, whatever it takes.”

She nodded and got up, moving to get pyjamas to change into before heading into the loo. While there, she sat on the toilet and couldn’t help herself as tears leaked from her eyes. Oh, she was going to be worried and scared, she knew that, but she also felt horrible that her friends were in danger and here she was, safe under someone’s watchful eye. It wasn’t fair, but it was what it was, she reminded herself as she dashed away the tears with the back of her hand. She simply had to make the best of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Even having to share the bed it was still comfortable, and she got a decent amount of sleep before they had to wake up. She went ahead and packed her things, knowing there were so many more things that she was missing that she would have wanted to keep if she never got to come back if the threat was that bad, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She had been brought here somewhat against her will, though it had been for her own good, but still. There were a few comforts from home she sorely missed, like Toby.

They took a cab to a train and then a train and a ferry into Ireland. When they got off the ferry Sebastian came back carrying one more thing then she remembered from the luggage they had put on the train, and as he got closer she saw it was a cat carrier. “Toby!” she said, almost on the verge of tears with being reunited with her friend. She put a finger inside and stroked Toby’s grey fur.

“We couldn’t bring him to the hotel, no pets allowed, but a colleague lived in the same part of town and kept him for the night. Brought him to the train station for us.” Sebastian had a soft smile on his face. “If there was some mischief in store and Holmes’s place got bombed, I wasn’t about to leave your cat at risk.”

“You have a heart,” she said, looking up at him with a relieved smile.

“It’ll ruin my reputation if you tell anyone,” he said. He picked up the carrier and his duffel, and she wheeled the suitcase that he had used to pack her things to go to a car. It was rather nondescript but it certainly wasn’t a rental of any sort. She wondered who it belonged to and who had brought it, but in the end, it didn’t really matter, she supposed. He got Toby and his and her things stowed and then got into the driver’s seat. “It’s a long drive so if you want to get more rest, I understand.”

She nodded and settled into the passenger seat, lowering it back as far as she could and listening to the car pull out of its spot in the car park and then drive away. After a while she found herself drifting off until she heard a loud crack of thunder and woke up. The car wasn’t moving because of a tree in the road, and there was rain coming down in torrents. “Are we there?” she asked curiously.

“No, but there was an inn back a ways,” he said after muttering curses under his breath. “This was not in the plan.”

“I still think we’ll be safe,” she said, putting a reassuring hand on his arm.

“You being safe is all that matters.” He began to turn the car around and head back where they had come. It looked rather gloomy, but as they got to the road where the inn was things looked warmer. The inn itself was brightly lit and seemed to be a rather large hall of some sort that had been converted. When he parked he dashed inside, and then a while later came back out, opening the back door and getting Toby while holding an umbrella over his head. She got out when he stood next to her door and held the umbrella over her head and Toby, and the three of them slowly made their way inside. She was drenched even with the umbrella, and her teeth were chattering as the rain was cold.

“I need...a bath...” she got out. He took them to a room and then opened the door, setting Toby’s carrier on the one bed. This bed was much smaller, but upon exploring she saw the loo here had stuff for a bubble bath. She looked at Seb. “Clothes?”

“You’ll have to sleep in a robe, I’m afraid. Our clothes will get soaked if I go out to get them. The innkeeper will dry them in the dryer in the morning, but it’s all hands on deck here when it comes to lack of staff with the weather being so bad. Short-staffed means we’re on our own for things like food.”

“Do you...know the people here?” she asked.

He nodded. “I’ve stayed here once or twice when the road’s flooded. It is flooded out a few miles up, so we’d have been stuck here tonight even if it hadn’t been for the tree. Tonight I _will_ sleep on the floor since I’ll be staying clothed in case...well, just in case.” He then turned her towards the loo again. “Go take your bath and warm up, _mavourneen_.”

She frowned at the unfamiliar word but took his advice and went to the bath to soak and warm herself up. She added the bubble bath and then sank up to her chin. A few minutes later the door pushed open a bit and Toby stalked in, coming up to the tub with a plaintive meow. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said, reaching over to pet him and finally starting to really relax. Whatever his plans were for her, her safety and consideration was foremost in his mind so that was something, at least.


	4. Chapter 4

She felt thoroughly warmed up after the bath, and while she knew he was right with how bad the downpour was outside and the fact it would soak through her suitcase and his bag if he tried to bring them in, it still didn’t mean sleeping in a robe would be comfortable without at least her knickers on. She was thankful those weren’t as wet as the rest of her, so she put them inside a towel, folded it over, and wrung them out as best she could.

She slipped them on and then the robe, and when she came out she saw a nightgown on the bed and Sebastian taking something from someone on the other side of the door. It was an old fashioned cotton nightgown, but it was soft and most importantly had long sleeves and looked like it would go down to her ankles. Seb finished up with the person at the door and then shut it. “Apparently there was some abandoned clothing in the lost and found. There aren’t many guests here at the moment and it’s been here for an age, but it’s something.” He lifted up the stack of clothing he was holding. “The nightgown was from the owner’s wife earlier. She says not to worry about returning it.”

“Oh, bless them,” she said. She turned her back to him and then debated for a moment before letting the robe drop to the ground and slipping the nightgown on over her head. It was a bit big but not as big as she had expected it to be. She turned and saw Sebastian had turned around as she got dressed. “You should take a shower at least.”

“I will in a bit since I have something warm to change into. But I need to talk to you first. It’s more than just the river flooding. The bridge up ahead washed away. We have to stay here for a while until the local villagers can figure out another way for us to get where we need to go. There's only one road up that way and the bridge is the only way to get there.”

“But you said you know the owners?” she asked, sitting on the bed and taking her hair out of the towel she’d wrapped it in and beginning to dry it more thoroughly.

He nodded. “We’ll be safe enough here until things blow over, but if things in London aren’t calmer by the time we can head out, I’ll take you to the hideout. If it’s safe to go back, we’ll go back.”

“That sounds fair,” she said. She gestured to the clothes. “Is there something in there for me?”

“A dress, which I don’t think will be warm, but there appears to be a cardigan as well. I have sweats and a T-shirt, which is something. I can go commando a bit while my pants dry.”

She found herself blushing just a bit at that. “Well, there should be plenty of hot water left for you to shower. And I made sure I left shampoo.”

“Thank you,” he said with a nod. “Don’t open the door while I’m in. I’ll be quick, but just to be safe.”

“Understood,” she said with a nod. He took his change of clothes and headed into the loo, shutting the door behind him. Since they had clean and dry clothing she was not about to make him sleep on the floor tonight, even though it was a smaller bed, so she picked a side and got under the sheet and blankets and quilts, the extra warmth helping to speed up her own body’s reheating levels. 

Toby jumped onto the bed next to her and she curled on her side, stroking his fur. It was a great comfort to have him there and she was glad they could have him in the room. She’d attempt to rig up some sort of litter box and get him some of the food that had been in the carrier later when she was warmer, but for now, it was nice to just relax and try very hard not to dwell on the whirlwind of events she had been through. It was absolutely draining, and it was no wonder she had slept so much, but she couldn’t help her eyelids drooping as Toby’s purring lulled her back into sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

She woke up again when she felt Seb settle onto the other side of the bed. She was still sleepy, but she wanted to acknowledge his presence. “Was the shower nice?” she asked.

He turned to face her in the near dark of the room; he seemed to have left the loo light on so he could see in the room even though it was mostly dark. The rain was still thundering down outside but the wind didn’t seem to be so bad. “Yeah. The water pressure is good for an old place, at least.”

“Where were we headed?” she asked.

“My childhood home, or at least the place I spent most of my childhood. My _seanmháthair_ raised me more than my mother did. I know she was my grandmother by birth but she was more like my mam than anyone else.”

She hadn’t meant to pry, but she was curious. “What did the word you said earlier mean?”

“It’s just a term of endearment,” he said with a slight shrug. “It’s nothing special. I just...lapsed.”

“Oh?” she asked.

“Jim was always worried Mycroft had ears around us, so everyone had code names. You were _mavourneen_ because it sounded closest to Molly.” The way he hesitated made her wonder if the endearment came from Jim or maybe from Seb. But Seb had never met her, and aside from living across the road from her, she doubted he really knew all that much about her. But it was a lovely word and she’d pretend the sentiment was just there and not really from either man. 

“Well, I like it,” she said, giving him a warm smile.

“Good. I may just stick with that for you,” he said. “I was going to get something to eat since the innkeeper said we could have free run of the kitchen tonight before they go out and figure out the damage the storm caused, but you were asleep so I decided that was best too.”

The very mention of food made her stomach grumble. “Maybe we should get food,” she said.

He gave a soft chuckle. “We’ll go together so you can decide what that stomach of yours feels up to. I don’t think you’ve eaten since we were on the train.”

“You know, I think you’re right,” she said, and then she threw off the covers. Her shoes were sopping wet but she didn’t feel cold in her room so she doubted the inn itself would be much colder. Seb was going barefoot as well so that helped the decision. He opened the door and looked around, then motioned for her to join him. He led the way down the halls to where the kitchen was like he really had spent more time here than he let on, and she found it was chilly with her bare feet on the cold tile but not too bad.

“In the mood for eggs?” he asked, rummaging around. “There’s veg to add and I bet they’ve got white cheddar so we could have an omelet and toast or something.”

“I think that would work,” she said. “If you want to hand me some of the vegs I’ll chop while you grate the cheese.”

“You really do hate that part of cooking, don’t you?” he asked with a grin.

“I’m going to make a mental note to close my curtains more often,” she said, though her tone was teasing. She couldn’t really explain it, but she felt comfortable with him. “Have you spent a lot of time here?”

“Helped build the inside before I went into the army,” he said. “That’s why I know my way around as though I lived here. It was originally going to have a foreigner running the place, but when construction was almost done and we’d had our first major storm that year plus a few incidents he backed out. The village gathered together, did the last of the construction and repair from the storm with our own materials, and then let a pair of newlyweds who had business sense take over. It’s the most profitable place in the village, and they hire a lot of the young lads and lasses in the village to help during busy times. The rustic value of the place is a large draw since it's settled in these parts.”

She nodded as he handed her some peppers to cut up. She was learning so much about him with very little prompting, and that made this easier to deal with. “How long does the rain usually last?”

“Can be hours, can be a day or two. It will take a bit for the flooding to recede, normally, so that means waiting here anyway, but the bridge was old and needed repair for too long. It must have been put off too long.”

“So we’re going to stay here for a bit?”

He nodded. “The owners are like kin to me, so we’ll be fine. Most of the village knows I made my money doing the wrong types of things, but to most of them, I’m still Sebby. I think I could murder the Pope and they’d probably be fine with it.”

“Aren’t you…?”

“Catholic? Yeah, but that bit of blasphemy will stay between us, I hope,” he said with more of a grin. “I’ve gotten indulgences for things I’ve done, said my Hail Mary’s and I’m as at peace with God as I’ll ever be, I suppose. My faith is only troubling when I’m around anti-Catholic folks.” His smile faded more at the last bit, and she realized she couldn’t imagine what it had been like to live in Northern Ireland during the Troubles while being Catholic. It had to have been a hard life.

“When you say you were in the Army…?” she asked.

“American,” he said as he began to grate the cheese he had found. “My _seanmháthair_ wanted me as far away from any of the trouble here so when I was eight she demanded my mother take me to the States with her. I came back to visit every year but because my father was an American citizen I had the status to stay in the US. When my _seanmháthair_ died, I stayed in New York and eventually left home at sixteen. Made my way for a bit until I was old enough to enlist, and ran the ranks all the way up to Lieutenant Colonel before I got my less than honorable.”

“Why?" she asked, and then ducked her head. “I mean, you don’t have to tell me, but--”

“A member of my platoon raped a woman and I beat him to the point of paralyzation,” he said quietly. “The woman was a friend and the fact she told me who had done it but not reported it...I was lucky not to be in the brig, but she stuck by me, said if I was imprisoned she knew a lot of things that would harm the unit. I got the less than honorable, and she turned around and introduced me to Jim. The rest is history, I suppose.”

“You had friends in dodgy places.”

“Jim had his fingers in all sorts of pies,” Seb pointed out. “All over the world. Why do you think Holmes was gone so long taking care of the mess?”

She nodded, staying quiet. She hadn’t really thought about the absence and exactly what Sherlock had done and where he had gone when he’d come back or honestly, that much after. Life had just rolled on and she’d been caught up in it. It was only now she was really taking time to think about things when it looked like everything she knew wasn’t the whole truth.

But soon Seb changed the subject and the dour mood was forgotten and the kitchen filled with laughter. It was like she’d gotten a glimpse at the dark side of his life but that was all he wanted her to have….just a glimpse. And for now, that was enough, but instead of scaring her away, it just made her more curious and wonder why, exactly, he had made it a point to keep her safe. What did she mean to him, in the end?


	6. Chapter 6

She got to meet the innkeepers in person and it did very much seem like Seb was kin to him, the way they teased him and the stories they told of his childhood. She and the innkeepers had some good ale but Seb abstained, getting up and getting things for people. The omelets and toast almost turned into a full three-course meal by the time they were done, and despite the fact she should have been cold and scared she felt warm and sated and full.

Eventually, she and Seb went back to their room and got back into bed. The full belly and Toby’s purring caused her to fall asleep rather quickly, but when she woke up to go to the loo she saw Seb was out of bed, looking at the still pouring rain through the cold morning light. “Still raining?” she asked.

“Yeah, but it’s lighter. I could make a dash for the luggage if you don’t want to wear the dress,” he said.

“No, it’s fine. My knickers dried out in the towel and this is really a comfortable nightgown. I have no doubt the dress and cardigan would be fine.” She was watching him in the dim light as she spoke and saw him suck in a breath as if to steady himself when she mentioned her knickers, and so she moved closer to where he was standing. He looked at her warily, as if he wasn’t sure what her next move. “Do you...like me, like me?” she asked.

“You intrigue me,” he said after a moment’s pause. “I can see why Jim liked you, why Holmes is infatuated...” He paused. “But I suppose I just think you’re interesting. I don’t actually know you well enough to say whether I like you like you or not.”

“But you think I’m pretty?” she asked.

“ _A cuisle_ ,” he breathed out, reaching up to let his fingers trail along her cheek before he cupped her chin. “You’re exquisite, in a way you don’t think yourself to be. Your smile...you have the loveliest smile I’ve ever seen. Wide and bright and lovely.” He let his thumb brush the corner of her mouth and she shut her eyes. “But I don’t think you deserve to dirty yourself with a man like me.”

“My choice to make,” she said.

“True, but it’s not a good one, and I’m going to make sure you’re safe and then blend back into the background. Protect you from afar.” She didn’t even realize the idea that when they got back to London she’d be there and he’d be...somewhere else. She felt a tear slip and she started to reach up to dash it away but his hand was there first, gently brushing it off her cheek. “Don’t cry for me, lass. I’m not worth tears.”

She nodded slightly and then pulled away. She wanted...more. She wanted a _chance_ at more, if nothing else. He was intriguing and he seemed to care and damn it all, why? Why wouldn’t he let her have a chance to see if there was something, anything there? She was tired of waiting for a man who was supposedly infatuated but never looked at her as more than a friend. She didn’t want him thinking she compared him to a ghost of a man who used her. She wanted…

Hell, she didn’t really know what she wanted, but in an instant she was back in his space, pulling his head down and kissing him. Maybe it was the situation, maybe it was the fact she had the feeling the words he used that she didn’t understand came from his heart, but she wanted at least one kiss. The rest of the time they were there they could stay separate but she wanted this more badly than she’d wanted anything else in a long time.

And he must have realized it, too, because instantly he pulled her against him and kissed her back deeply. It was like a dam of emotion had broken and this kiss...if it was all they were going to have then he must have wanted it as badly as she did. She moaned into the kiss as she felt just how much he wanted her and if he had let her she would have let him have her any way he wanted…

...but he pulled away, panting and looking at her as though he was shocked. And maybe he was, by her actions, by his response; either way, he didn’t know. But he was trembling as he held her in his arms and it took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before he rested his forehead against her, staying silent as the daylight increased and the sound of the rain thundered into the rooms. And she did all she could do at the moment: embrace him back and stay. Whether this was the best thing to fight for or not, she wanted a choice, and he deserved one. And maybe...maybe they would have one after all.


	7. Chapter 7

Eventually, she went back to sleep on the bed and he joined her, staying close but not touching her, at least at first. She decided that was not what she wanted, and to see if it was alright she pressed a hand to his chest, above his heart, and then he moved closer, letting himself embrace her. Whether this was a good idea or not she didn’t know, but she had to admit that he was honest with her, and maybe too honest at that but still...he was honest with her and he deserved the same from her.

“Even if nothing happens, when we get back to London...stay across the street,” she said quietly. “If nothing else I’ll feel safer knowing you’re close.”

“I suppose I could,” he said softly. “If that’s what you want.”

“It is,” she said. “You’ll keep me safe.” She yawned again and shut her eyes. “I shouldn’t be so tired.”

“We stayed up late and there was ale and it’s been a long few days,” he said. “Get some sleep, _macushla_ , and I’ll try to stay until you wake up.”

She nodded and nestled against him. He was solid and warm and it had been so long since she had been held while she slept. Tom had never really made a habit of it for the entire night, but she had the feeling once Seb had allowed himself to hold her he wouldn’t let go until he had to.

She woke up to a gently snoring Seb, her head on his chest and an arm of his wrapped around her and a soft knocking at the door. The rain seemed to have stopped and she gently shoved him a bit to wake him up. “Someone’s at the door,” she said.

He didn’t start to wakefulness, but it was rather quick for him to get from sleepy to awake. He gently disentangled himself from her and then went to the door, taking a tray after a moment. The tray had all sorts of food for a luncheon on it, and she realized it must be later than she thought. A quick look at the clock told her it was after noon.

“You’d made an impression on Moira,” he said once the door was shut and he’d brought the tray to the bed. “She thought you might be a tad hungover and could use a meal in bed.”

“Oh, that’s lovely,” she said. “Not that I needed it, but it’s a sweet gesture.”

“Well, we’ll eat and then I can go find out how damaged the bridge is now that the rain has stopped. If the river dies down and the problem in London still isn’t taken care of, we’ll head up to my original safety point.”

She nodded, looking over the food. It all looked amazing and she hadn’t realized she was still hungry. She had almost thought she couldn’t possibly be hungry with all the food she’d had the evening before but sleep seemed to have helped empty her stomach. They both dug in and it was merely a half hour later when the tray had been emptied of food. She leaned back into the pillows and watched as Seb changed into his shirt from the day before, which meant their clothing had apparently been dried. “Are you going to go to the river?” she asked.

He nodded. “I’ll see if Stephen will come with me and we’ll figure out what needs to be done. I’m sure it’s a roaring mess so it’ll be a few hours or days until we can get a better look, but at least in the daylight without the rain, we should be able to see what needs to be done. I’ll fund the repair myself if I have to. I don’t want the village to lose anything because those up in the northern part can’t leave.”

“You have a good heart, you know,” she said. “Even if you think you don’t.”

“Well, let's keep that between us,” he said with a grin. “Don’t open the door for anyone, not even Moira. And stay here. Don’t go exploring. I’ll bring your luggage in when I’m done.”

She nodded, pulling the blankets up higher and looking for something to read. The room didn’t have a television, though there was one in the main area of the lodge where all the comfortable seating was. She didn’t want to use her mobile, which she couldn’t anyway because it had been in her handbag which was still at Barts, but she wanted to know what was going on. She hoped when Seb came back with news of the bridge there would be news of home, too.


	8. Chapter 8

She wasn’t able to find a book so she took the opportunity to sleep some more, Toby curled against her. It wasn’t the same as sleeping next to Seb, but it was comforting in its own way. The sound of the door opening and a soft calling of her name got her to wake up. She stretched and saw that Seb was soaking wet and dirty to boot, but he had his luggage and hers with him, and that looked relatively dry. “What happened?”

“I fell in,” he mumbled, looking almost embarrassed. “Thankfully Stephen was able to pull me right out, but I’m cold and there’s mud in places there shouldn’t be mud and I feel inept.”

She smiled slightly. “Then go into the loo and soak in a bath. Warm up and I’ll see...” She paused. “Well, I can’t leave the room or else I’d get you something warm to drink. Tea or something like that.”

“Great minds, apparently,” he said, cracking a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. “Moira is bringing tea and soup for me and food for you as well, once she takes care of her husband.” He motioned to his clothes. “I need to get out of these so if we’re going to finish this conversation now you’re going to have to go into the loo and sit on the toilet.”

“I’m a grown girl, I deal with naked men all the time,” she said. “Strip and get in the bath and I’ll go join you there in the loo and keep an ear out for your warming liquids.” She got out of bed and surprised herself by pulling the cotton nightgown off while he was still looking at her. She only had her knickers on underneath but she didn’t particularly care if he saw. He’d probably seen her naked loads of times if he could see into her kitchen since her bedroom was on the same side of her home and she didn’t always close the drapes.

But she had to say, there was a warm satisfaction to see a flicker of heat in his gaze.

“Maybe I should stick with a shower and be in there alone,” he said.

“Coward,” she said, brushing past him to get to her luggage. But he reached over for her, pulling her against him. She could feel that he would most certainly like to do more with her than banter and sleep. “The tub fits two, you know.”

“You shouldn’t tempt me,” he murmured, letting his fingers trail down her spine.

“Have you seen me starkers before?” she asked, looking up at him. “When you were keeping watch?” He nodded, slowly. “What did you want to do?”

“If we go down this road, you know there’s no happy ending,” he said, his breath warmer than his clothes.”

She stood on her tiptoes, letting her mouth hover near his. “My choice,” she said softly before kissing him. He kept her close, opening his mouth to her in the kiss as she felt warmth fill her up in a way she hadn’t in far too long, pooling at her core. She moved her hands down to the hem of his shirt and started to lift it up. She didn’t care that he was sopping wet; she’d warm him up with her own body, if necessary.

They broke apart so he could pull the shirt off and toss it to the side, and then he pulled her against him again, her breasts brushing against his chilled skin. She gasped at the sensation but her hands had a mind of their own, going for the waistband of his sweatpants, pushing them down off his hips. His cock sprang free from the confines of the clothing, and she wrapped her hand around it. That particular body part was quite warm compared to the rest of him.

He sucked in a breath and then dipped his head to her neck, taking in bits of skin and sucking on it to leave his mark. She moaned at the sensation; it had been so long since she’d had this happen, and she was lost in the feelings coursing through her of how damn good it felt to have him leave his mark on her. She teased the tip of his cock with her thumb and soon he pulled her hand away. “If you don’t stop...” he said, panting slightly.

“Then you make the next move,” she said.

He began to move them, stepping out of his clothes as they moved, and moved until the back of her legs hit the end of the bed. When he reached over to steady her he slowly lowered her onto the bed. She scooted back but he pulled her back, letting her arse be just at the end of the bed, and then got down on his knees. She leaned her head back and tried to find a way to brace her feet when she felt his tongue brush against her and she moaned loudly, not caring if anyone heard.

His tongue teased her, and soon one finger, then another, joined the equation, pumping a slow rhythm in and out of her, bringing her to the brink. When she came, he was still there, lapping it up, leaving her shaking and wanting more. Then he stood and slowly entered her and she gasped at how large he was. She was almost sure she couldn’t take his full length and thickness, but she did. He moved her legs so that her heels were on his shoulders, lifting her arse up slightly, and he began to move, just as slowly as he had entered her. She lifted her chin up as she tilted her head back. “Ahhhh...Seb...” she said.

“My name sounds good moaned like that,” he said, reaching between them to tease her clit. “Might sound better if you screamed it.”

He picked up the pace with his thrusts, and soon she felt another orgasm on the horizon. She threw her hands above her head and grabbed the messy blankets to give her something to hold onto. “Se...Sebastian!” she called out when her orgasm hit and he kept thrusting, riding the waves of it before he himself came.

She felt limp and boneless, and he gently lowered her legs before pulling out. They were quite messy but he covered her body and kissed the side of her neck. “The tub fits two?” he asked, his lips against her skin.

“Mmhmm,” she said with a nod.

“Then let’s clean ourselves up,” he said before pulling away and lifting her up off the bed, carrying her into the loo. She held onto him, a contented smile on her face and an almost purr coming from her throat. Whatever else happened, she would never forget this. Never.


	9. Chapter 9

He got her off again in the tub, his fingers sliding between her slick folds as she bathed on top of him, and brought her to orgasm twice. She wanted to return the favour but the arrival of his soup and her lunch put a damper on those plans, and they climbed out of the tub and put on the bare amount of clothing needed to lounge around in bed and eat.

She hadn’t bothered to pull the sheet up to cover her chest as she ate, and his gaze kept flicking from his soup to her breasts. She couldn’t help but smile. “You’ve already fondled them,” she said.

“I want to do more than that,” he said, licking his lips. “If this is my last taste of freedom, I wouldn’t mind spending a significant portion of that time with my cock inside you and my mouth on your breasts, among other places.”

She felt warm and then looked at him. He’d pulled out a clean pair of knickers but even under the sheet she could tell he was hard again, and she finished the last bite of her sandwich, licking her lips and then sucking the last bit of the condiments off her fingers before taking his food from him and setting it on the nightstand. She let her fingers brush over his erection when she was done before moving her fingers to the top of his pants and peeling them down, freeing his cock. He rolled over onto his back and waited to see what she did next.

She moved to position herself between his legs and leaned over, taking him into her mouth. His strangled “Ah, fuck” was music to her ears. He was large, larger than the last man she’d done this for, but she had the feeling she could take him all the way in. She slowly began to tease his bollocks, moving her head up and down and taking him deeper each time. Soon his hands were tangled in her hair, not quite pushing but not bearing a loose grip, either.

Eventually she managed to take him in deep in her throat and her lips touched the base of his cock. She could tell he was being careful not to fuck her mouth but he pushed her down each time she moved up, making her take him deeply each time. Finally he tugged on her hair and she pulled her mouth up, letting go of his cock with a pop of her mouth. Before he could decide what they did next she crawled forward, covering his body with hers for a moment for a teasing kiss.

“Ride me,” he said against her lips as he sat up more. She arched her back to pull away and then straddled him. She was surprised she was as wet as she was; blowjobs were not something she got off on but this time was different. Still, as she hovered over his cock he slid his fingers in and out again, teasing the nub of flesh that made her scream in pleasure enough to get her sopping wet. Then they worked to position her over his cock and he lowered her down, keeping his hands firmly on her hips as he turned them and swung his legs over the side of the bed to brace himself. He leaned back and she began to ride him, his fingers occasionally teasing her clit as she bounced on his cock.

Soon he pulled his hand away and attached his mouth to her breast, sucking and nipping at the various parts of flesh. The sharp sting of teeth was almost enough to make her come right there but she wanted more. Soon, though, she was too close to the edge, and when he sat up fully, letting his teeth sink into the flesh of her neck to leave a bite mark on her pulse point she ran her nails down his back as she moaned loudly, coming on his cock. He joined her seconds later with one final thrust, and after a few moments she sagged forward and he held her as she panted out her next few breaths.

“Jesus,” he murmured, pressing a kiss where he had bitten her. “You’re like catnip.”

“How so?” she said, smiling against his shoulder.

“I get a taste and I just can’t help what happens next. It’s like I’m possessed and you’re offering salvation.” He moved his lips to kiss her shoulder. “If I have to be at Her Majesty’s Pleasure when we get back to London, at least I’ll have had a taste of heaven first.”

For some reason, the stark reality of what could be waiting for him brought a choked sob, and suddenly the cuddling became more comforting in nature, with his hands on her back, stroking her hair down, Gaelic whispered in her air as she cried on his shoulder. Eventually, the tears were gone and he pulled out of her before shifting her and letting her curl up against him. “Let’s stay here,” she said.

“We can’t do that, _cushlamachree_ ,” he said. “There are too many people who would miss you. There’s a life you need to lead back in London. We can stay here for a little while longer, but...”

“But eventually we have to go home,” she mumbled against his skin.

“Yeah,” he said. “But I’ll make whatever deals with the devil I can to stay by your side, lass. I promise.”

“I’m holding you to that,” she said as he pressed a kiss in her hair. This was all so sudden but not at all strange. She was falling in love with Sebastian Moran, and she deserved the chance to see where it all led. She was owed that much.


	10. Chapter 10

They stayed in their room until it was time for dinner and then joined their hosts for the meal. Molly wore a smile on her face but her heart wasn’t really in it. She really didn’t want to face the reality of the situation after all of this mess was over and done with, but when Seb got a call in the middle of the meal and came back with his own fake smile plastered on his face, she knew something had happened.

Once they’d wound down and were eating the last of their desert, their hosts retired from the meal, giving the two of them some privacy in the kitchen. Seb leaned back in his seat and looked at her. “It’s done.”

“What is?” she asked.

“Whatever plan Eurus had cooked up. Apparently, John was trapped in a well and Mycroft was put somewhere out of reach, but somehow Holmes got to his sister and took care of things. She’s not speaking anymore, but they think she’s not a danger, at least not to you.”

“That’s good, I suppose,” she said quietly, picking at the last of her dessert. 

“I was told Mycroft would like to speak to me. Someone told him you’d been taken from Barts, and they had thought it might be another nasty surprise from Eurus, but he realized it was me and apparently he had the thought I might not be attached to it after all. When you get a chance, he wants you to call.”

She nodded. “I will.”

He hesitated and then reached over for her hand, pressing his lips to her knuckles. “We can stay here tonight and go back in the morning. They can all wait a little longer.”

“Good,” she said, squeezing his hand. He let go then and they finished their food and then went back to the room. There was no need to change into pyjamas, as they already had carnal knowledge of each other, and when he made love to her that evening it was slow and sensual, as though he wanted to savor every last moment, every single sensation. She felt the same and made it a point to remember it all.

They fell asleep in a tangle of limbs and sheets, and she found herself waking up when he was still asleep. Slowly she disentangled himself from him and went to his mobile. She hadn’t called Mycroft the evening before but she knew that, at least according to Sherlock, he rarely slept. She dialed the number of Mycroft’s that she had memorized when Sherlock was gone, but there was no answer. That was peculiar, but then he had been through something catastrophic, she had the feeling. Perhaps he was ignoring the phone to get some well-needed rest.

She got back into bed with Seb and studied his face, gently caressing it until his eyes started to flutter open and he looked at her. “Couldn’t sleep?” he asked.

“I tried to call Mycroft but there was no answer,” she said.

He frowned. “Doesn’t seem like him.”

“Maybe he just needed some good sleep,” she said.

“Well, we won’t leave here until you’ve spoken to him. I don’t want to get back to London and find out my information was false and it’s another trap.”

She nodded and then let her fingers graze his cheek. “If...if we get lucky, and you aren’t thrown in prison...would you really stay in London?”

“If that’s what you want, yes,” he said with a nod. “I don’t know what I expected to happen while I had you here, but this wasn’t it. This was maybe a fantasy come true, but if we have to go back to reality and I have another chance, I’ll do whatever you want.” He took her hand and began to kiss each finger in between words, and she shut her eyes as he did.

“I’m falling for you, I think. Rather hard. And I just want a chance, you know? To see if there’s more than a great shag and comfort there.”

“I can promise I’ll do my best to show you there is,” he said.

“Good,” she said before leaning in and replacing her fingers with her lips, kissing him tenderly, trying to show him all the emotions roiling through her that she couldn’t name. Eventually, the kiss became more heated and as he rolled her over onto her back, she knew if things were going to work out in any way that would lead to more of this, maybe a lifetime of this, she needed to speak with Mycroft alone before he spoke to Seb. That was her only chance at seeing if this, whatever was between them, could bring her true happiness.


	11. Chapter 11

She got a hold of Mycroft after breakfast, but the call was brief and he reiterated he wanted to see Seb as soon as they returned to London. Well, fine. If she couldn’t talk to him before their return, she’d make damn sure she was at that meeting. And if Mycroft had a problem with that, tough. It had been _his_ sister who had set this in motion, and he could just deal with her being there, now that she had a vested interest in making sure Seb stayed close. After all, for all she knew, there was a possibility she could be pregnant. They hadn’t used protection, after all.

And so they drove back to where the train had dropped them off and got on the first ferry back to Wales to take a train to England. She stayed awake the entire time and stayed close to Seb, not wanting to miss a minute with him if the worst happened. When they got to London and off the train and out to get a cab she saw a car with one of Mycroft’s familiar drivers and led him over that way. “Ms. Hooper?” the driver asked.

She nodded. “Tell Mycroft we’ll be taking a cab. I want to take my cat back home if that’s safe enough?”

“Your cat can remain in the car for the time being,” the driver said. “I believe the cameras are currently being taken out of your home, so he may be underfoot.”

She looked over at Seb, and he nodded. “Very well. But Toby stays with us, not in the boot.” She put the cat carrier in first as the driver put their luggage in the car. She got in next and Seb got in next to her. “I’m nervous,” she said quietly to Seb.

“I’ll be honest. I am too,” he replied, and he brought her knuckles up to kiss. “But we’ll persevere.”

“I know,” she said, keeping tight hold of his hand and leaning into him. They made the trip to their destination in silence and saw that instead of going to Mycroft’s home or office they went to her home. There were a number of people moving in and out, and Mycroft was standing in the foyer when they got inside, supervising the work. “He stays,” Molly blurted out when he turned and opened his mouth.

“Pardon?” Mycroft asked with a look of confusion.

“I said, Seb stays. No sending him to prison, no taking him to a tiny island to be tortured. He kept me safe when you didn’t so he stays.”

Mycroft shut his mouth and nodded. “I agree.”

“What?” Seb and Molly nearly chorused. This time it was their turn to be confused.

“I believe with the shenanigans my brother indulged in recently, with his delving back into his...habit, I lapsed in my attention to those he surrounds himself with. Mr. Moran did not, and it kept you alive.” He gestured around her home. “Not only was your mobile bugged, but there was a bomb. I was honestly surprised your home was still standing but I think my sister knew that ploy had been foiled.”

“Oh,” Molly said quietly. “So...Seb saved my life?”

“He did indeed.” Mycroft leaned on the handle of his umbrella. “I would like to offer you the position of head of Molly’s security detail. You may have as many or as few men and women in it as you choose, and as I see the two of you have begun some sort of personal relationship if you will lend me your other skills on an occasional basis, I think a pardon of some sort can be arranged. Of course, you will need to share any information you have of the remnants of Moriarty’s organization. I know it’s not all stamped into the ground as we had hoped.”

“I’m on the fringes of information, but I’ll give all I can,” Seb said with a nod. “And I’ll take the arrangement.”

“Then it’s settled. I’d suggest going across to your lodgings, Mr. Moran, as there is quite a bit to be done here before she can come back. I have the feeling I should remove my own cameras, as they will not be needed.”

“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea,” Seb said before turning to Molly with a grin. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he leaned in for a kiss, and both of them ignored Mycroft’s small noise of disgust. This had been a better ending to the situation for them than either had imagined, and it ensured they had a chance at something together now, something they were both incredibly grateful for.


End file.
